Playing ball and method of making same



Sept. 6, 1927. A H. ADAMS PLAYING BALL AND METHOD OF MAKING sum Filed May 19, 1926 lm/emor ARTHUR hf ADAMS Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

- UNITEDITIT- STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. ADAMS, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS.

PLAYING BALL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

T Application filed May 19,

which communicate with the interior of the ball. Owing to the small amount of material used and the air friction produced by the perforations, thetrajectory of the ball will be limited regardlessofits initial velocity. i In ordermore clearly to describe the na tures of theproduct and process forming the subject matterofthe present invention, reference should be had to thedrawings in whichl ig; 1 is a perspective view of a ball;

and Figs. 2 and 3' diagrammatically illustrate two stages of themanufacturing process. I

Referring now to Fig. 1, we have a hollow two perforated hemispheres 1 and 2, the edge-s of which are cemented together at 3. The retiform shell may be a textile fabric, such as hexagonal mesh like a fishnet, or some inexpensive lace like net, a loose woven material like mosquito net, or a soft paper like Japanese mulberry paper. The mass of the fabric constitutes thicker threads or fibres with considerable open spaces between, thus obtaining a greater stiffness and more surface for air friction for equal mass than could be obtained if thematerial were thinner and more nearly imperforate. The perforations have a retarding effect on the ball causing it, in a sense, to sift through the air rather than part the air, and by reason of the many small air currents and eddies, exhausting the initial kinetic energy more rapidly than would be the case with a ball having an imperforate shell. The arrangement of the material in deeper ribs instead of in a uniform thinner shell makes greater strength, due to the law that the stiffness of beam is as the cube of its depth. .50 The shell is preferably stiffened with some i hardening liquid or semi-liquid like cellulose nitrate or acetate, varnish or starch. Or, the network may be made of artificial playing ball the shell=of which consists of.

1926. -Serial No. 110,070.

.silk, the fibresof which, when treated by a solvent, break down and coalesce to form an integral but not quite imperforate hemisphere; tained by an acid treatment of cotton fibres.

I In accordance with the presentinvention. the following method is used in the manufacture. of such balls.

A small square of net fabric l'is cut out and isdippedin a cellulose nitrate cement. It is left to dryuntil not quite stiff and is then stretched over the'polished hemispheri- The same result could also, be. ob-..

cal end of a. small metal rod 51 by forcing the rod through a hole 6 inanother piece of metal much after the manner of a drawing punch entering a drawing die forming drawn shells of material. The impregnated net ispermitted to dry awhile before forming, because otherwise it would. stick to the jured in loosening it. The fabric is per? mitted thoroughly to dry while held in the position illustrated in Then the brass rod 5 is revolved, a cutting blade 8 being held against its protruding end carrying the net 4. The result is .to cut off a hemispherev of stiffened fabric. 1

The edges of two such hemispheres are cemented together, preferably by holding the two hemispheres in suitable cages or fixtures. The cementing may be accomplished by dipping or spraying with a solvent such as acetone.

In order to minimize the danger of the net sticking to the brass rod 5, the latter may be nickel plated,-waxed or oiled.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be introduced in the choice of materials, mesh form and chemicals without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the method herein described may also be varied within wide *metal rod 5 and the hemisphere may be inform from the hardened fabric.

2. A hollow playing ball formed of a thin shell of cellulose mesh.

3. A hollow playing ball formed of resilient mesh.

4.. A hollow playing ball having a sub stantially retiform shell.

5. A hollow playing ball having a shell of stiffened mesh.

6. The method of making a light playing ball of limited trajectory consisting in im- 'Jregnating a textile fabric with a stiffening material, forming the fabric into a hemispherical surface, hardening said stiffening material. and ccn'ienting together by their edges two similar hen'iispheres.

7. The method of making a light playing ball of limited trajectory consisting in im- 1iregnating a textile fabric with a stiffening material, partiall daring the fabric, forming the fabric into a hemis iherical surface, thoroughly drying the fabric. and cementing together by their edges two similar hemispheres.

8. The method of making a light playing ball of limited trajectory consisting in impregnating a textile fabric with stiffening material, forming the fabric over a hemispherical surface, hardening the stiffening material. removing the fabric from said surface, and cementing together by their edges two similar textile hemispheres.

9. The method of making a light playing ball of limited trajectory consisting in impregnating a textile fabric with a stiffening material, partially drying the fabric, forming the fabric over a hemispherical surface, thoroughly drying the fabric, removing the fabric from said surface, and cementing together by their edges two similar textile hemispheres.

10. The method of making a light playing ball of limited trajectory consisting in impregnating an openly woven textile fabric With a stiffening material, forming the fabric into a hemispherical surface, hardel'ling said stiffening material, and cementing together by their edges two similar hernispheres.

11. The method of making a light playing ball of limited trajectory consisting in treating a loose Woven fabric with a stiffening bath, stretching the fabric over a former, processing the treated and formed fabric to harden it in the shape dean-mined by the former.

12!. The method of making a light projectile of limited trajectory consisting in stretching an open Woven fabric over a form, processing the fabric to harden it in the shape of the form, and removing the form from the hardened fabric.

13. The method of making a lightprojectile of limited trajectory consisting in forming 2 piece of open work fabric over a form, in stiffening the fabric in this shape by processing, in removing the form and in cementing together by their edges a plurality of such stiffened and formed pieces of fabric.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, this twelfth day of May, 1926.

ARTHUR H. ADAMS. 

